Barrier device for coastal protection



Feb. 11, 1969 H. DANZ 3,426,536

BARRIER DEVICE FOR COASTAL PROTECTION Filed March 30, 1966 United States Patent 3,426,536 BARRIER DEVICE FOR COASTAL PROTECTION Heinrich Danz, 72 Christbuchenstrasse, Kassel, Germany Filed Mar. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 538,656 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 2, 1965, D 46 951 U.S. Cl. 61-3 Int. Cl. E02b 3/12; E02d 29/02; E01f 7/00 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is frequently desirable in locations where moving sand or silt, such as Windblown sand, wave-driven sand, and so forth exist, to construct confinement means to impede the otherwise normal direction of movement of the sand or silt. Such structures have found particular ap plicability along sea coasts, where shifting sands present problems of undesirable revision of the coastline.

One of the most widely used structures utilized for consolidation of breakwaters or to assist in the reclamation of land or the consolidation of a beach or sand hill involves the utilization of upright supports or posts which are connected by a brush wood mesh. Such a brush wood mesh has to be produced by lengthy manual labor in which hand injuries frequently occur. Also, such a system is not susceptible'of being reused.

Other approaches to the problem have involved the utilization of bulky or expensive metallic structures which, while being relatively strong, are susceptible of corrosion and in general are not adaptable in conformance to the buildup of the residue deposited against them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus or barrier device for the impeding of the movement of moveable sand or silt which, in its construction, saves manual labor and permits the building material to be used repeatedly. The material is more readily worked and reduces risk of injury to the hands. Moreover, the material permits for the variation of the height of the structure.

In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus or barrier device for impeding the flow of the moveable sand or silt comprises disposing vertical supports in space relationship to each other and running generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sand or silt which it is intended to impede. Strips of material are then interwoven between the posts. The overall height of the wattle strips may be lower than the height of the support or posts, but after sand or silt have been deposited in front of the lower part of the structure, the strips may be shifted upward to permit further quantities of sand r 3,426,536 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 or silt to be deposited. When the whole structure has served its purpose, the flexible strips may be removed and reused at a different point.

For the supports in accordance with the present invention, a wire mesh made of perpendicular and horizontal wires may also be used which may be conveniently coated with a corrosion resistant material.

Since a desired deposit, e.g., of sand ,or silt in many cases necessitates the passing of air through this structure, it is possible for the strips to be perforated before being interwoven.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a structure which has been produced in accordance with the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a section of a perforated strip.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the posts 1 are first driven in, then the strips 3 and 4, made of plastics material, are plaited between the posts. Only two such strips are shown but several strips may also be used if required. The lowermost strip 3, in FIG. 2, has retained deposits 5 of sand or silt and in accordance with the invention the strips 4 and 3 may be moved upward, such movement being indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 1.

An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 in which a fence constructed in accordance with the invention has a wire mesh serving as support for the strips. This mesh comprises perpendicular wires 6, the upper ends of which are bent into loops 7, so that they extend in the manner of a throw in ribbon weaving. The continuous horizontal wires are designated by 8 and the plastics material strips 9 are interwoven between the loops of this wire mesh.

A strip 10 is shown (FIG. 4) which has holes 11 formed therein...before assemblage of the fence if it is necessary to permit the structure to let wind through.

To produce structures with rows of posts as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is possible to use thinner and less costly timbers for land reclamation since the water pressure of the tides is exerted on only a relatively small surface. Sand trapping fences made of plastics material strips in accordance with the method of the invention may be produced in a far shorter time than trapping fences made of pine brushwood mats. During a period of storm tides occurring in quick succession it is possible for the fences to be quickly assembled and dismantled.

I claim:

1. A barrier device for impeding the movement of moving sand and silt and accumulating sand and silt, said device comprising in combination:

a row of at least three posts vertically driven into the ground protruding therefrom in spaced relationship; and

at least two pliable strips of substantial width alternately plaited freely movable along said posts in superimposed relationship with the lowermost strip resting on the ground, said strips being disposed upright Widthwise and being freely sllidable upwardly 3 along said posts to vary the height of each strip in reference to the ground as the ground level increases with accumulations of the sand or silt, and each post projecting initially upwardly beyond the uppermost strip for said upward movement of the strips.

2. The barrier device according to claim 1 wherein each of said strips includes a plurality of lengthwise spaced holes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,274 4/1913 Tirapani. 2,655,790 10/1953 Daley 613 *4 8/1956 Rice 256-34 12/1961 Wilson 61-4 12/1964 Smedley 613 FOREIGN PATENTS 80,659 1868 France. 565,640 8/1957 Italy.

EARL I. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

